Strong Female Leads

This one’s sure to ignite some controversy: the Strong Female Lead.

One might think that any Not-A-Dick Flick by definition showcases at least one Strong Female Lead. However, since we at DickFlicks are doing the defining, we’re choosing to be picky. After all, a Not-A-Dick Flick calls for only one girl out of four lead characters, right? Not very exclusive. (And yet look how tough it is to earn that status.)

We don’t mean “strong” as in muscle, hard-headedness, or triple black belt tae kwon do skills. The Strong Female Lead comprises three parts, and she must meet all three:

She must be female. (Duh.)

She must be a LEAD character.

Any romantic storyline(s) involving her must be incidental to the main plot.

The first part is simple enough: girl. Zeta-Jones is, Schwarzenegger isn’t. Done.

The second point, simple in theory, can quickly devolve into a hideously grey murky muddle: leading vs. supporting role. To expand upon our first example, take “Chicago.” The first two names that jump to most minds are Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones. But according to the Oscar, BAFTA, SAG, and Evening Standard British Film Award trophies sunning in Ms. Zeta-Jones’ Bermuda bungalow, Velma Kelly is but a supporting character. In all likelihood, the forces behind “Chicago” didn’t want their two stars to cancel each other out in the Lead Actress category. Still, for the sake of consistency, DickFlicks will generally abide by the rule of Oscar and the like when a judgment call is required. But by all means, jump into the debate and give us a compelling reason to reconsider.

Point No. 3: With or without love, she has to be pivotal to the story. In other words, axe her romance entirely, and the film still stands. And here comes the perfect illustration which will no doubt whip some fans into a righteous frenzy: Linda Hamilton. The Sarah Connor of “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” passes muster for Strong Female Lead, but the Sarah Connor of “The Terminator” (the original) fails. Before you upload a nasty virus to wipe out our site, check out our more thorough rationalization on the Sarah Connor vs. Sarah Connor dilemma. But suffice it to say here that, while T2 bears not a whiff of a love story, the first Terminator film literally could not exist without it.